Do You Know What Made These Tracks Through the Snow in Indiana?

After a snowfall, it's easy to see tracks from anyone and anything that may have passed through that area.

You may see deer tracks, human tracks, or...this.

Browsing through Tiktok, this video out of Indiana popped up on the FYP. It shows two men walking along a line of trees following some very bizarre tracks. Now, if you're unfamiliar with local wildlife you may be looking at these tracks and scratching your head.

Was something being dragged? Is this a weird animal behavior I just don't know about? ALIENS?

No. Thankfully, it's much cuter than that.

They're otter tracks!

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See, otters tend to slide while making their way from one point to another. A few different articles offer conflicting theories about why they do it. It could be just for fun or to save energy.

Either way, these tracks were definitely made by a North America River Otter which can be found in most of North America as well as Canada. Read more here. Here, you can see these adorable creatures in motion:

Okay, that definitely looks like the otter is just doing this for fun, right? Although, it does look like an easy way to get down the side of a mountain:

If you're hoping to see a river otter in person, you'll have to travel somewhere isolated. An article from the Smithsonian's National Zoo says,

They prefer unpolluted water with a minimal human disturbance.

So, if you find yourself in an isolated section of woods and happen upon 'weird' tracks in the snow...don't worry! It could be a sign that a cute little otter is nearby.

Otters are, surprisingly, legal to own in Michigan. See the full list of animals that are surprisingly legal to own below: